Samurai and Taylor Structure Photos

Samurai

Taylor

Canine Fitness Trainer 2 - Week 6 Homework

1) Post three photos of dogs you perceive to be long backed.

2) Demonstrate three exercises to work with on the long backed dog.

3)  What activities would be most stressful to the long backed dog?

1) Post three photos of dogs you perceive to be long backed.

Taylor

Taylor has a long back, especially through the loin. This has been a definite point of weakness and trouble for him. He goes to a chiropractor regularly for adjustments to his thoracolumbar region. Loose patellas and surgery to his right knee has probably contributed to the pain he feels in his lower back. Combined with an over-angulated, weak rear, he has always been stiff laterally and finds it hard to turn.

Bernese Mountain Dog

This is a dog from a class I assist with. He seems a bit long and weak in the loin to me as compared to others of his breed. A dip in his back shows that his back could use strengthening. He seems to be a bit straighter in front than in back which could put more stress on his lumbar region.

Cattle Dog

This cattle dog has a long weak back with very little tuck up. He appears to be carrying a little too much weight for a performance prospect. His front is straight compared to a more angulated rear which causes a definite dip in his topline. The structural imbalance would probably put him at risk for back issues in the future, particularly if he is asked to jump and turn without a program of overall conditioning, with special attention paid to his core.

2) Demonstrate three exercises to work with on the long backed dog.

Here is 13-year-old-Taylor working on back strengthening exercises. He has always had poor proprioception in his rear feet. It's very hard for him to move them independently, which makes any forward-to-rear movement difficult for him. These exercises do help with the overall flexibility of his back and core strength.

3)  What activities would be most stressful to the long backed dog?

Taylor is probably the poster child for what can go wrong when a dog has a long back. His back is very fragile due to his extremely small size and delicate back. He injured his back in July 2010 when he fell off a dogwalk up ramp. It was a twisting fall that left him flipped over on his back. I ended up pulling him from agility and did only therapy exercises with him up until a month before Nationals. He came back to win the 4" class.

Things that can injure a dog like Taylor:

Falls, especially twisting falls

Getting on an off of furniture, especially if the back flips over his head

Being forced to do exercises that are beyond his fitness level

Gaining too much weight

Steps, especially abrupt turns at the bottom

Riding unsecured in a vehicle

Jumping

Stopped contacts in agility

Weave poles

Repetitive stress from things like obedience exercises

Twisting when being picked up, put down or carried

Wrestling with other dogs

Week 5 Homework - Remainder

1)  Photograph 3 different dogs and describe their elbows and shoulders.  What do you see with the shoulder angle? Can you point out the layback angle?